UK Court Rejects Challenge to F-35 Parts Exports

The UK High Court in London has rejected a legal challenge by Palestinian rights group Al-Haq, supported by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, seeking to halt the export of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel. The UK government had previously suspended some export licenses to Israel over concerns about international humanitarian law in Gaza but exempted F-35 parts due to their role in a multilateral defense program. Al-Haq argued the exemption was unlawful given the F-35s' involvement in the Gaza conflict, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, mostly Palestinian civilians. The court ruled that decisions on participation in the F-35 program, even with potential law violations, are matters for the executive branch. Government officials maintained that halting exports would disrupt the global F-35 program and harm international peace and security. The ruling highlights ongoing tensions between legal, humanitarian, and security considerations in UK arms export policy.